On Broken Wings
by Morguerat
Summary: Everything in his life is perfect. Nick has the perfect job, the perfect partner and more. When events start to unfold, a secret past is brought to the light, a past that will forever change his now perfect life. Can love survive the coming fires, or will it be consumed, destroying all Nick holds dear.


**The day comes when we are called,**

 **To herald destruction and death.**

 **To break bone, and flesh, maul,**

 **To silence every last breath.**

 **With the birds, above the clouds we fly,**

 **Holding to what we love, holding it in our heart.**

 **Watching beneath, the world goes by,**

 **We only go along, playing our part.**

 **A world of twisted metal, and burning flame,**

 **Mind is numb, heart stops, as we pay our due.**

 **In the fleeting moment that is life, love will remain,**

 **The last thoughts, focused only on you.**

 **When the time is near, to walk gilded halls,**

 **There will come that day, when we hear angels sing.**

 **On that day, when we hear their calls,**

 **We shall return home on broken wings.**

 **~GB**

 **Chapter 1 – Special Case**

Nicholas Piberius Wilde: a red fox who was old enough to know better yet young enough to still find trouble. He was dashing, handsome, and quite possibly the best looking mammal in all of Zootopia, in his own mind. He was also quick thinking, shrewd, and extremely intelligent. These attributes helped him when he met a certain bunny with a go get 'em attitude who ended up turning his life completely upside down, and to anyone on the outside looking in, turned his life around. That bunny was the vivacious Judy Laverne Hopps. After getting pulled into one of the biggest conspiracies that the city had ever experienced, and subsequently catching the perpetrators and helping Judy solve the case, Nick and Judy became best friends. That friendship would only grow over time. Following in the bunny's paw steps, Nick attended the police academy and joined the ZPD, Precinct One, becoming partners with none other than Judy herself. The two worked together like greased gears. Never in the history of the ZPD had a partnership caught so many criminals and solved so many cases. From the start, it was an unusual pairing—fox and rabbit, predator and prey, but all apprehension was soon laid to rest as the dynamic duo started cleaning up the streets. Both quickly made names for themselves in the precinct and in the city. Neither could walk down the streets now a days and not be noticed or have their 'fans' come and talk with them while out on patrol.

The closer they grew to each other, the better they worked together. Whispers floated around the station and secret betting pools were made about the two little heroes getting together. Everyone thought it was obvious that they had feelings for each other, everyone except for Nick and Judy. Whether purposely hiding it from others or being oblivious to the signals they each were sending out, neither made a move to expand their relationship. Six months after pairing up, though, it finally happened. After a particularly difficult case that resulted in both of them nearly losing their lives, the cinder that had been glowing since they had first met was given life and grew into a strong burning fire. They had just left their daily morning briefing when Nick had pulled Judy aside in the hall outside the bullpen. It was there that the usually non-emotional fox poured out his soul to the partner and friend he had nearly lost the day before. After he had finished, he had closed his eyes, waiting for an answer from the 'cute' bunny standing in front of him. The entire precinct had heard the commotion in the hallway and had gathered at a distance, a silent crowd awaiting the outcome with anticipation. As the seconds passed, Nick started to worry but kept his eyes closed. He half expected her to just walk away without saying a word. He had been afraid to say anything earlier, worried that he would ruin the friendship they had, worried that she didn't feel the same way. Now he was beginning to believe she didn't feel the way he did. Each second ticked by, an eternity unto itself. Finally the tension was broken—not by words, not by tears or the soft pitter patter of paw pads walking away. No, the tension was broken by the sudden impact on his chest as two small paws gripped the sides of his muzzle and the warmest, sweetest lips touched his. Opening his eyes, Nick only saw her face as she put more into the kiss than could ever be said. As she released him, you could have sworn a bomb went off in the lobby as all the officers watching in anticipation erupted in cheers, whistles and, in the case of Clawhauser, tears of joy. Both could only smile and chuckle as Chief Bogo walked past muttering what sounded like 'get a room'. From that point on, the two became inseparable. A few short weeks later, Nick and Judy had gone on their first real date. Not long after, Judy moved in to Nick's apartment and each day became better than the next. Anyone who knew either before would notice major changes in the two. Nick became more open and showed his caring side, while Judy became a little more laid back. Both, however, became fiercely protective of one another. Judy may have been small and considered 'cute' to larger mammals, but if any dared flirt with Nick, let's just say the looks she could manage would cause even Chief Bogo to cower in fear. And whenever Judy was in trouble, Nick's attributes shone through as he would give any effort to make sure she stayed safe.

And that is how life played out. Judy and Nick grew closer to each other and the city enjoyed the benefits of their partnership. As time went on, Nick opened up more and more, allowing Judy to know about his life before the ZPD. Many knew his story about being a con-mammal and Judy was no stranger to this. To his surprise, she didn't see it as much of a problem. Nick had done what he had to survive and did it without really breaking any laws even though she didn't like the fact that he had indeed conned her at one time. Judy learned about Nick losing both his parents at a young age, his growing up on the streets, finding Finnick and perfecting the con game. It really impressed her that he was able to think on his feet and how well it had helped him in his current occupation. Of course Nick knew most of what there was to know about Judy. He had read her like an open book on the first day they had met, yet she still managed to surprise him at every turn. He knew she was fiercely loyal to her family and would do anything for them. When it came time to meet the parents for the first time and let them know that the two of them were together, Nick didn't know what to expect when he met Bonnie and Stu. He was surprised when not only did he get a firm handshake from Stu, but a crushing hug that lifted him off his feet from the same rabbit. Judy's mother was a different story all together. Though she tried not to show her emotions one way or the other, Nick could tell that she did not approve but would leave Judy to make her own decisions. Judy didn't seem to notice. Of course he faced a myriad of questions about his life and even though Stu seemed ok with how things turned out, Bonnie once again seemed put off but said nothing. Eventually the rest of the family warmed up to Nick and it became a productive visit. Life seemed to be going well for both of them as each faced the future knowing they would have each other by their side. Neither left one another's side, through good days and bad, both mammals were as close as any could be.

Two years to the day from when they first met, Nick was walking three blocks from the train station to the Precinct alone. It was odd to see the fox walking without the gray bunny next to him. He had just arrived back in Zootopia from a very important trip. Only Chief Bogo knew where Nick had gone for the past two days. As far as the other officers in the precinct and most importantly Judy knew, Nick had been helping out at an outlying station with a case. That had been the Chief's idea. Where Nick really was, if anyone else would have found out, would have caused a ruckus at the precinct the likes of which have never been seen. Nick had just come off the train from a two day trip to Bunny Burrow. Nick had been visiting Judy's parents, on a mission that took all of his courage to accomplish. Even though Nick had opened up to Judy, he still held secrets. One of those secrets was currently sealed in a box that was resting in his coat pocket. His paw kept an iron grip around that same small box. His trip had been a success. As it had been on his first trip to the burrow, Nick was relieved to find Stu overjoyed, and he even received a small smile from Bonnie when he had announced his reason for the impromptu visit. Stu wept tears of joy, and though Bonnie held her emotions in check, she did give her nod of approval. He would take any small victory when presented. As he walked, Nick was formulating on how today would go and what he needed to do. Hopefully, by this time tomorrow, he would be the happiest fox in Zootopia and the precinct would have plenty to celebrate. Yes, Nick held a secret in his pocket, but he also had another secret, one that he kept not only from Judy, but also his friends and Chief Bogo when he had applied for his job. It's not that Nick was ashamed of this secret, far from it. It's just that he couldn't talk about it. All records had been sealed and he was fine with that, yet he hated lying to Judy. To say Nick had been a con-mammal his whole life before joining the ZPD would be a lie. The whole con-mammal shtick was partially his idea as a cover for his early life, though he fit the role perfectly. He wished he could tell Judy but the consequences of doing that would take him away from her and he could not have that happen, for both their sakes. Eventually, he would be able to tell Judy some of what he did earlier in his life, but for now, that little bit of information would remain buried along with the rest of his past life, and he was ok with that. As far as he was concerned, the Nick of the past was dead to the world that now stood in front of him. Before he knew it, Nick was staring at the front doors of Precinct One. Taking a deep breath, he reached a paw out and pulled on the door handle.

"Time to make the world a better place!" he said to himself as he entered.

Any mammal who was looking forward to something, or dreading something, would tell you that time seems to slow down to the point where you think the world has stopped spinning and you are trapped in the moment. Nick could definitely agree with that assessment. Not much was going on in the city so both he and Judy were stuck doing desk work for the day, catching up on the tower of paperwork currently sitting in their in-boxes. Neither said much to each other as they kept busy. This was the first sign to Judy that something was up.

 _Nick never sits and does his paperwork. He always gets up and procrastinates as much as he can. Something is up,_ Judy thought to herself.

Every few minutes, Judy would glance up from her terminal only to find Nick's face buried in his monitor or a file, concentrating on work. When lunchtime rolled around, she expected him to follow her into mess but was instead surprised to watch him walk across the lobby and up the three flights of stairs to the Chief's office. Curiosity got the better of her as she made to follow him and eavesdrop to find out exactly what was going on. She made it as far as the stairs in the corner of the lobby when a voice called out to her. Of course Clawhauser had seen her.

"Hey Judy, come over here."

Judy growled slightly, annoyed that her target was getting away, and for what, probably another Gazelle video. Reluctantly, she trudged over to the front desk.

"What is it Benji, I'm a little busy at the moment."

The overweight cheetah just grinned. "Oh don't give me that honey bunny, I know you are worried about Nick." She opened her mouth to protest but was cut off. "It is written all over your face dear. Don't worry. He's fine. Apparently the case he was helping on was pretty rough. That's why he seems so distant today. I can't tell you anything about it really, but I do know it's the reason he's in Bogo's office right now." The cheetah glanced up at the Chief's door. "Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to head out and grab a bite with me. My treat."

Judy was a little shocked at the invite. Usually Ben just stayed at the precinct and ate whatever sugar loaded treats he had stored in the desk. Looking at the grin on his face and the twinkle in his eyes, she couldn't say no.

"Sure Ben. Since it's your treat, you pick."

The cheetah just bounced up and down, giggling like a giddy school girl. As they walked out of the precinct, Judy was unaware of the pair of emerald green eyes following her every move. Once the doors closed, Nick let out a sigh, turning back to Chief Bogo sitting at his desk.

"You knew she would try to follow you and listen in didn't you?"

"Of course Chief. She has to think something's up. You don't realize just how good she is at finding out information that is supposed to be secret. I'm just glad Ben was willing to help distract her for an hour or so." Nick plopped down in the oversize chair across from the Chief. "So, is everything ready? I want to make sure everything is perfect for tonight."

The chief gave Nick a wide grin. "You know, I'm only doing this because it's you two. No other officers have done the things you have for this city. But, in answer to your questions Wilde, yes, everything is in place. The call will go out to the two of you later this afternoon. After you two are done, I have arranged through our mutual friend to have you two picked up and dropped off at the desired location. Everything will be set up ahead of time so when the two of you arrive, it will just you two there. When you are ready, all you have to do is call and your ride will arrive to take you both back home." Nick nodded as the plan he had laid out seemed to be going smoothly.

Standing up, he gave a salute to Bogo. "Thanks Chief. I'll owe you one."

Bogo just chuckled. "You'll owe me a few Wilde." Nick made his way out the door before being stopped by Bogo. "Oh and Nick, I think I speak for the entire ZPD when I say, good luck tonight." He noticed Nick give a genuine smile as he closed the door. _You are going to need it you dumb fox,_ Bogo thought to himself with a laugh.

Judy returned after a two hour lunch break. She never knew how much fun Ben could be. The amount of things that he heard made him one of the best gossips in all of Zootopia. Judy wasn't much for gossip, but she had to admit, she did have fun with him. Returning to her desk, she noticed Nick sitting at his, nose back to the grindstone, slowly chipping away at the never ceasing mound of paper. Softly, she padded up behind him and placed her arms on his shoulders, squeezing gently and eliciting a soft groan from Nick.

"Ben told me about the case Nick, and you know if you ever need to talk, you can always talk to me."

She wanted to be there for him and whatever had happened, she could tell that it was affecting him more than usual.

Nick turned around, eyes half lidded and a small smile playing on his muzzle. "Thanks Carrots. I know you are always there for me. And I'm fine, really I am. Just….exhausted. I'll be ok, I promise."

Nick patted her paw and turned back to his work only after eying the clock on the wall. _13:30, only a half hour more and then we get this show on the road,_ Nick thought as excitement, a little fear, and half a dozen other emotions tugged at him all at once.

In all that had been going on the past few days, with Nick being gone on a case and all the work required once he got back today, Judy almost forgot what today actually was. Today marked her two year anniversary with the ZPD, which didn't come with any honors, not for another three years anyway. But today also marked the two year anniversary of when she and Nick first met. Judy wondered if in all the chaos of the day, Nick remembered or not. This thought didn't particularly hurt her feelings, she often forgot important dates when work became a little hectic. Then the idea hit her. She would make him a nice dinner tonight, the two of them at home, relaxing and forgetting about the cares of the day. That would be just what the two of them needed. Judy giggled a little at the thought, looking at the clock and seeing it read 14:00. _Only three more hours, then we can relax._ Her thoughts were broken by the speaker crackling above their heads.

"Hopps, Wilde, my office now. New case."

 _Well, so much for getting home at a decent time,_ Judy grumbled as they both made their way to the Chief's office.

Standing at his desk, Bogo handed Nick a file, which to Judy seemed to be very thin. "This case should be no problem for the two of you. I expect to see a report on my desk by morning."

Nick held onto the file as they left the office and Judy swore she saw Bogo grin. Judy watched Nick glance in the file and shut it just as quick.

"Ok, it says we need to be in civvies. I'll meet you back in the lobby in say ten minutes," Nick said as he made his way to the men's locker room, leaving Judy confused in the lobby.

Ten minutes later, Judy was waiting in the lobby for Nick who seemed to be taking his time, her paw tapping faster and faster on the tile floor. Finally, Nick walked up from the locker room, nose buried in the file.

"Ok Carrots, looks like we are walking. Not far from here though, so shall we?" Nick was holding the front door of the precinct open.

Judy was confused. Nick had been acting odd all day and it was starting to get to her. Walking outside Nick caught up to her and grabbed her paw in his. Judy jumped slightly at the unexpected contact.

"Nick, not while we are on duty."

"Sorry fluff, but it says we are undercover for this one as a couple, so holding paws is par for the course."

She grabbed his paw as he led the way.

"Can I see the file Nick? I would like to know what we are getting into." She made a grab for the file but Nick pulled it out of her reach.

"In due time. First, we need to go over here." Nick pulled her down a side street.

Judy was starting to lose her cool. Looking up, she noticed the baseball stadium ahead and they seemed to be heading straight for it. Nick seemed to be looking in that direction and as they kept walking, it did seem that was their destination.

"Nick, where are we going and what is it that we are supposed to do?" she questioned, receiving no answer. Judy's ears were starting to stand on end and she was starting to redden in the face. "Nicholas Wilde, stop." She held on to his paw and pulled him back.

 _She is so cute when she is angry,_ Nick thought. She was reaching the tipping point so he pulled out what was in the file as she closed her eyes, ready to unleash fury.

"You will tell me what…..what..what are those?"

"Well, they would be tickets to the game today. You know, where we went on our first date. Home team dugout, first row. Did you think I would forget that this is the two year anniversary of when we first met?"

Judy could only smile. "You deceiving, conniving, sly fox. You've had this planned from the start, haven't you?"

Nick smiled as he pulled her paw, entering the stadium.

Both had a blast at the game. During warm-ups, they were able to speak with a few of the players near the dugout, a few of them signing a ball for Judy. The game itself turned out to be a nail biter as Zootopia pulled out the win with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth. Both loitered for a time after the game, waiting for the bulk of the crowd to disperse before making their way to the exit. Unbeknownst to Judy, Nick had shot off a quick text at the end of the game so when they left the stadium, a large, white, stretch limo was waiting for them. Judy turned an inquisitive eye towards Nick who only grinned as he opened the back door for her. Looking inside, Judy knew whose limo this was as she had been in one before.

"Nick, why are we riding around in Mr. Big's limo?" she questioned as Nick entered and closed the door.

"Well Carrots, he wanted to help make this day special for you when I told him what it was. He considers you family so he had this all arranged for you."

Nick looked forward to the front seat to see Raymond waiting to leave. Nick gave a nod and the limo began to pull away from the stadium. Judy thought that the limo would just be taking them home, but as the drive stretched into twenty minutes, she began to wonder where they were going. The sun was hanging low in the sky as they made their way up the mountains that surrounded the city as Judy stared out the tinted window.

"Nick, where are we going?"

Reaching over and grabbing her, Nick pulled Judy next to him on the back seat. "No need to worry Fluff. Can't have a proper date without dinner, now can we? We are just heading to our dinner, that's all."

After a few more miles, the car turned off the main road, stopping at an overlook with all of Zootopia shining brightly below. Nick jumped out to hold the doo for Judy. After she had exited the car, he turned to Raymond and gave another nod. Nick knew that he would be driving around the area until called. Taking Judy by the paw, he led her to a patch of grass near the edge of the overlook. A blanket had been lain out surrounded by torches that illuminated the dinner waiting for them.

"Nick, what is all this?" Judy asked sheepishly.

"To tell you the truth Carrots, I couldn't think of a better place to go than right here. You're always saying how much you love Zootopia so I though a candlelit dinner overlooking the whole of the city would be perfect. Come, have a seat with me."

Nick was nervous, but refused to show it. Judy, on the other paw, was absolutely giddy. Nick was right, the view could not be beat. As the sun sank below the horizon, the glow of the city reached them on their perch. They were far enough outside of the glare of the lights to see the stars start to appear in the sky above. Judy thought back to their first trip to Bunny Burrow together and remembered the first night. It had been Nick's first time outside of the city and everything seemed to bring awe to his face. But she would always remember the first night, when they walked around the farmstead, staring up at the sky, and the bewilderment on his face upon seeing millions upon millions of stars shining down. Looking over to him now, she could see the same bewilderment etched in his features as they finished their meal.

 _I am impressed, he obviously put a lot more thought into this than I ever thought possible from him,_ she mused as she finished her glass of wine.

She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice Nick staring at her.

 _I just can't believe how beautiful she really is. Every time I look at her, it's like I'm seeing her for the first time. Well, now comes the moment of truth. Come on Nick, you can do this._

Finishing the meal, Nick stood up and walked to Judy, lowering his paw to her. "Would you like to walk with me?"

Judy just smiled as she took his paw. They walked along the trail which followed the edge of the lookout. She held on tight to him as they made their way to where the trail came to a point. Suddenly Nick stopped and pointed down for her to look. The sight was amazing. Below was the river, with all the boats lit up like little fireflies. The clear night and the stars blanketed the city scene. She could make out the spotlights moving back and forth at the event center downtown as the skyscrapers seemed to pierce the black velvet of the sky.

"Nick, this is so beautiful. It is so perfect."

"Yes, Judy. It is perfect." His voice was low.

Her ears perked at the sound of him using her name. She turned around only to see his eyes at her level, staring deeply into hers. It took her a moment to realize that he was kneeling down, holding her paw in his. It seemed to take forever for her brain to catch up to what she was seeing.

"Judy, ever since you came into my life, you have made everyday seem like today, perfect. There is only one thing left that would complete me, and that would be having you be mine." Nick grabbed a small box out of his pocket and opened it in front of her, revealing a simple gold band topped with a round diamond setting. "Judy Hopps, will you marry me?"

All Nick could do was stare into those deep, violet eyes and wait for an answer. Just like the hallway outside of the bullpen, when he had poured his soul out to her, time seemed to stand still. Her face gave no expression other than total shock as she stared at the ring, processing the question. Nick couldn't determine if it was seconds, hours, or days passing as he waited for an answer, but as each moment ticked past, fear began to creep up within him. Opening his mouth to say something, he was cut off by Judy who had thrown her whole body into him, locking lips in a sweet and passionate embrace. He had his answer.

"Yes, yes, a million times yes you wonderful, handsome fox," she said, covering his muzzle in kisses.

She paused long enough for him to place the ring on her paw. It was the perfect ending to a perfect night. They stayed a while longer, walking the trail, staring at the stars and each other until the chill of the evening started getting to both of them. Returning to the blanket, they cleaned up as Nick phoned Raymond. Soon enough, the white limo pulled up to take them home. On the ride home, Nick filled Judy in to what had been going on earlier that day and where he had actually gone. Hearing that her parents had given their blessing calmed a nagging concern she had about how they would react. What had impressed her was how Nick was able to plan all of this under her nose without her finding out about any of it. Even Clawhauser didn't know the real reason for his distraction of her. It seems only Chief Bogo knew exactly what was happening. She laughed when she thought about what the other officers would think tomorrow as she walked in with a ring on her finger. They remained in each other's arms all the way back to their apartment, ready to start the new chapter of their lives together.

The morning alarm seemed to ring too early for Judy. Sitting up in bed and rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she had to look down at her paw to help her believe that last night wasn't just a wonderful dream. Seeing the ring sitting on her paw made her heart flutter, yet something seemed to be missing. Waking up alone in her room, she knew what it was, a certain red fox, who since they were engaged, needed to be by her—a problem she meant to remedy. Getting her things together, she went to go shower and get ready, smelling breakfast being cooked from the kitchen.

 _That sly fox, even cooking me breakfast. I think I could get used to this._

Walking into the kitchen after getting dressed, Judy noticed waffles and coffee waiting for her. Nick was standing in the kitchen, leaning against the wall sipping coffee and reading the news on his phone.

Nick glanced at his watch before dumping the rest of his cup in the sink. "Hey Carrots. Bogo called and we need to be at the morning's briefing. Go ahead and finish and we will head on out." He paused and grinned at her. "Maybe we should wear earplugs, I think Ben might shatter glass with his squeal when he finds out."

Judy could only laugh. Knowing Ben, his squeal would be heard down the street. She quickly finished her breakfast and met Nick by the front door. The two of them walked down the street to the precinct. Nick's apartment was only four blocks from downtown so it made getting to work easy for the both of them once Judy had moved in. As the front of the precinct building came into view, Nick stopped Judy.

"Carrots, just follow my lead when we get in. No one knows except Bogo and he wanted to let them all know in a certain way." Judy smirked and nodded, knowing this would be fun.

Walking in the front doors, they were greeted by Clawhauser, already finishing off his first box of donuts. Judy kept her left paw hidden in her pocket as they were greeted by Ben.

"Chief has called a special bullpen session, all officers are to report. He even wants me in there." Ben looked a little worried. "The last time I was called in was when we had all the savage mammals. I hope nothing bad has happened."

Nick and Judy could only smirk at each other, knowing the real reason for the special session.

"Well, I guess we'll see you in there Ben," Nick said, barely holding in a laugh.

They left Ben at the desk, looking confused, as they made their way into the bullpen, taking their positions together on the front row. None of the officers paid much attention to the two as they filed in one by one until the bullpen was overflowing. Clawhauser was one of the last officers in as it became standing room only. As the clock ticked 08:00, the door opened with Bogo making his way to the podium. There was no call for quiet as the room fell silent as soon as he entered, everyone curious as to why a special session was called. Bogo cleared his throat and began to give out assignments but asked all of the officers to stay until the end.

Upon finishing assignment duties, Bogo took off his glasses and stared at the officers crowding the room. "I have called you all here today to receive a report on an important case that had recently crossed my desk. Because of the nature of this case, our own Officer Wilde was called into action. As you know, he was absent for a few days working hard and I'm pleased to announce, he is here to report on said case. Officer Wilde, the floor is yours."

Nick gave a wink at Judy as he jumped down from the chair and took the podium. "Thanks Chief. My fellow officers," Nick said as he held up a manila folder, "this case had to potential to affect every officer in this room, but none more than myself and Officer Hopps." At this, every head turned to look at the rabbit at the front, still hiding her left paw from view. "I would like Officer Hopps to join me up front, if she wouldn't mind." Judy hopped down and stood beside Nick. "After two days field work and intelligence gathering, as well as pulling an almost all-nighter last night, facing one of the toughest challenges I have ever faced in my life, I am pleased to announce that this case has been solved and closed." There was a small smattering of claps and a few murmurs as Nick slapped the folder down on the podium. Nick, seeing their confusion moved towards Judy. "My fellow officers, I am pleased to announce that last night, I asked Officer Hopps to marry me, and well…" Judy held up her paw, showing the ring, "she said yes."

Even Chief Bogo had to place his hooves over his ears. The front door windows rattled in their frames as above the din of cheers, hoots, and hollers, an almost ear-splitting squeal pierced the air as Clawhauser was going red in the face, unable to contain his joy. To Nick's surprise, there was no call to quiet down by Bogo, the Chief allowing his fellow officers to revel in the celebration. Nick grabbed Judy in an embrace, kissing her in front of the precinct to a renewed cacophony of cheers and whistles. It took almost half an hour to receive all the congratulations and well wishes before they left to do their patrol duty, elated at the response of their friends and riding that high for the rest of the day.


End file.
